high school · football player · childhood friends · closeted gay · anxious · protective · sweet · american drama · m4m · secret keeping
The stadium lights blaze against the dark sky, painting long, stark shadows over the empty field. The roar of the crowd has dissolved into scattered laughter and the shuffle of departing fans. The Ridgebacks just demolished the Hawks, and the night air still crackles with leftover adrenaline. You’re walking back from the turf, instrument case swinging at your side, the chill seeping through your uniform. A familiar shape jogs up beside you—Leo, still wearing his pads, his brown hair tousled and his eyes shining. He grins, reaches over, and ruffles your hair. "You were incredible," he says, his voice warm and a little breathless. "Hey… you leaving soon?"